I Know How You Feel Uchiha Sasuke Love Story
by fullmetalhottie
Summary: Sohma Tami is a ten-year-old girl, coping with an abusive family and budding psychic powers. However, when she meets the Uchiha brothers, Itachi and Sasuke, everything changes. Will her life change for the better, or will it fall apart?
1. Chapter 1

_~I Know How You Feel~_

_Biography:_

Name: Sohma Tami of the Sohma Clan in Konoha

Age: 10; 12; 15

Hair Color: Red-brown

Eye Color: Brown-blue

Birthday: October 2nd

Kekkei-Genkai: Tamashii Senkensha

Stage One: Empathy (The ability to feel what others do)

Stage Two: Telepathy (The ability to hear and see the thoughts of others)

Stage Three: Premonition (The ability to foresee events)

Stage Four: Mind Manipulation (The ability to control another's body and functions [ex. Can make the victim blind, deaf, etc.])

Stage Five: Soul Destruction (The ability to destroy the soul of another and leave the body as an empty shell)

Family History: The Sohma Clan is an elite clan composed of shinobi with psychic abilities. They have worked for the Konoha police force for generations and have developed a firm reliance on their ally, the Uchiha Clan. The Sohma Clan is mostly composed of people trained for assassination. Tami is the only daughter of Sohma Takai, the family's leader, and is also the only female to ever inherit the kekkei-genkai, the Tamashii Senkensha (Soul Seer). Because of her ability, her father trains her harder than her siblings.

_Yes, this is the story of my life. For better or worse, I have faced many hardships and have overcome numerous obstacles. But enough explaining – I'm sure you would much prefer listening to the actual happenings, hm?_

_-Sohma Tami_

_Section One – Age 10_

I utter another cry of pain as I go slamming head-first into the hard grass plain that is our training area. My stomach and head pound in agony and I struggle to sit upright.

"Get up," a low voice behind me growls. Impatience lay thick in those words and I hasten to follow its command. I stand shakily and bow.

"S-sorry Otou-san."

"Focus, you slacker. You have to concentrate. Control those unruly thoughts of yours."

"I'm trying!" I cry, putting a hand to my side. I think I have some fractured ribs; I'll try to have a doctor look at it later. He walks up to me and strikes me across the face, knocking me to the ground again.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Haven't I taught you to not talk back to me?" I scramble to my knees and lean forward, letting my hands touch the ground in a bow.

"I'm sorry Otou-san. Please forgive me."

"As well you should be sorry. Stand." I hurry to my feet, bringing tears to my eyes. "Clear your mind." I nod and close my eyes. The first amount of training given to those with the Tamashii Senkensha is to teach them to close their minds to others with the same power. It teaches discipline of the emotions and makes it more difficult to probe. However, it has a tendency to turn the users into impassive, cold people. "_Now_." We race at each other, and my father starts attacking me. I dodge as many as possible, as to save my fairly injured body. My father doesn't take the time to take me to the hospital on accounts of fractured ribs or broken bones, so I try to avoid injuries at all costs. My left arm is already in pain from a parry earlier, and thus my dominant arm is disabled (yes, I'm left-handed). He hits me in the neck and I stagger back, clutching the spot. It's hard to breathe, and my air is coming in wheezes. He glares at me. "You mind wasn't closed!" He must have gotten a thought out of me.

"I'm sorry, Otou-san!" I cry desperately. He rolls his dark brown eyes in abhorrence.

"You're pathetic. And to think YOU had to be your mother's last child." I feel a deep stab of guilt. My mother had, in fact, passed away during child-birth, and my father had wanted another boy. He already has four boys, and they're his pride and joy. They're hard-headed, fierce, assertive little boys who love to fight amongst each other and they love making fun of me. I don't really understand why they hate me. I figure it's not an actual hate – they just follow our father's example.

At first my father thought it would be nice having a girl, since it had been prophesied that there would be a female, and a prodigy, but he came to belittle my abilities. Truth is, I work best when I'm calm. I spend a lot of my time meditating and I keep several stress-relieving things in my bedroom. The rest of my family, though, derives its power from hateful emotions – anger, spite, annoyance. And since they're brought up that way, they expect me to function the same way. I guess it's because of our gender difference that it isn't similar. But since I don't connect with the Tamashii Senkensha in the same way as they do, they think I'm an imbecile and a failure.

"I'm done with you. Fetch me your brothers." Ah yes, my other occupation – errand girl of the house. I hurry off, leaving my father in silence in the practice yard. I find my brothers in the indoor practice room, which is used for kendo and training when the weather's wet. They're wrestling when I walk in, and my second eldest brother, Goku, notices me first.

"Well well, if it isn't Tami-chan." My other brothers stop and look to the doorway.

"Well hi there, errand girl. Got news for us?" Kai asks with a smirk. My brothers, Kai, Goku, Fushen, and Bo, are all a year apart, and Bo is three years my elder. Kai's the oldest, being sixteen, and Bo is thirteen. I grit my teeth in anger before saying,

"Otou-san would like to see you all in the courtyard." My emotional control wouldn't be so unruly if the people I live with weren't so unbearable.

"Getting a little pissed off, slave girl?" Fushen asks. The third eldest, Fushen has unbelievable flexibility and is coiled in my other brothers much like a snake.

"I'm no one's SLAVE, Fushen," I reply and turn to walk out.

"Get your ass back here, Tami-chan! We're not done with you yet!" he yells and I hear them scramble to their feet. I break into a sprint, heading for my bedroom. I've booby-trapped my bedroom against my brothers, to protect myself when I'm meditating, and it's one of the only places I feel safe. I'm ten feet shy of my door when Bo, the smallest and lightest besides me, springs forward and grabs me about the knees. I fall to the floor hard and Fushen and Goku pin my arms. Kai stands over me, his feet straddling my abdomen. He kicks me hard in the side and I stifle a cry of agony. My sides are already tender from my training.

"Haven't we told you not to run from us?" he asks, bending forward and grabbing my face so I look at him. I glare at him and he strikes me hard across the face. "Haven't we?"

"No, I don't recall that you have," I lie, smirking. I'm surprised with myself – I rarely talk back to my brothers. It's most likely it's because I haven't been meditating, and when you're in a house with five very temperamental men and you're empathic, it's hard NOT to pick up on their emotions. He hits me again and I grit my teeth against the pain. I taste blood and spit it onto the floor. They all laugh and release me. I scramble to my feet and stand farther from them.

"You're lucky we're so nice, Tami-chan," Bo says, pinching my arm hard.

"Ow!" I exclaim, pulling on my arm out of reflex. Bo giggles.

"What're you boys doing?" We all look to the end of the hall and see our father standing there, watching the scene.

"Nothing, Otou-san!" they say innocently. He nods and beckons for them to follow him. They get off me, Fushen kicking me hard on his way by, making me fall. Once they're gone I get up and walk into my room. I lock it and set up one of the traps above my door.

The interior of my room is simple, but cozy. In fact, the simplicity of it is what MAKES it cozy. My bed has a plain black bedspread with white sheets, and pillows to match. I have a black rug in the middle of my floor, which is made of a slightly fuzzy black material. A wooden dresser and black and white curtains complete my ensemble of furniture. I have a set of weights, a chain sickle, and an assortment of stress-relieving things underneath my bed. I train or meditate at night, when I'm having trouble sleeping. I also practice my kekkei-genkai then – no one to bother me and plenty of test subjects. I'm getting pretty far into my level of emotional sight, too. I'm to the point where I can sense strong emotions without having to touch a person – a superior achievement for someone of my age. My brothers haven't gotten to this level, I know – they would have gloated about it. Sometimes I wonder if they have the Tamashii Senkensha at all.

I lie on my bed and stare at my ceiling, getting lost in my own personal thoughts for awhile, which I usually do. I do this sometimes if I don't feel like or have the time to meditate, and it works as a good substitute. At eight thirty, five hours later, I get out of bed and head for the kitchen. As always, the boys are gracious enough to leave their dirty dishes in the sink for me to wash for them. I sigh and get to work. I'm done in half an hour, so I cook myself something light and eat. After cleaning up my own mess I head to Goku and Kai's room. They're sound asleep and don't even start when I walk in. I silently walk across their floor, having memorized every creaky board in the room. I go to Kai first and, using the most sensitive of touches, put the fore and middle fingers of both hands on his temples. Right away I feel angry, which is now nothing new. It's the same emotions every time; aggravation, anger, pride, and today I feel a twisted sense of joy, which I presume comes from a victory against one of the other boys.

Goku, however, is feeling different today. He's grieving for some reason. If I possessed stage two of my "sight" I'd be able to see into his dreams and find out why he feels this way. Other than his misery I feel anger, as always, but it's directed towards something other than our brothers. After I practice a little more on my sleeping siblings, I leave and return to the solitude of my room.

I wake up early, as usual, to make breakfast for everyone. I've been doing this since I was six years old. Halfway through they all walk in, rubbing their eyes and quarreling, as is their morning routine. I set the table and serve everyone while they talk and argue. Once they're done, my father stands and clears his throat.

"Alright boys, I think it's high time you four were introduced to the real world. Today I'm going to take you with me to work and you'll be able to see how important our clan is to our glorious country. I also want you to meet my closest friend, Uchiha Fugaku. He has two sons that are around your ages and I'm sure you would all get along just fine." They all look excited and Bo asks,

"When do we leave?" My father looks at the clock.

"I'd say thirty minutes from now. You'd better go get ready, all of you." They nod and scamper out of the kitchen. I pick up all the plates and bring them to the sink. I wash them silently, absorbed in my own thoughts, and I jump when my father addresses me. "Girl." I look at him.

"Y-yes Sir?"

"While we're out of the house, I expect you to stay here. You are not to leave the house under ANY circumstances. Understand?"

"Yes Sir," I say quietly. It's the same every time – they leave the house and I stay here, like a good girl. My father seems to prefer me to remain in solitude.

"Good. If you wish to train, do it inside."

"When should I expect you back?" I ask.

"Most likely about five thirty. Start making dinner at around five."

"Yes Sir," I reply, turning my attention back to my chore. He leaves the room to find my brothers and I'm left alone in the kitchen. I don't feel disappointed or left out because I scarcely get to leave. I don't know anyone outside of the family because I'm never allowed out. This house is like a prison to me, and every day is the same. I'm stuck in a boundless cycle, and there's no way out. My father and brothers are like chains, binding me to my position in life, resilient and smothering.

I complete my task and head to my bedroom for much-needed meditation. However, Bo stops me. Bo is but three years my elder and seems to be lacking in wits and charm. However, what he lacks in those he makes up for in cruelty. He grins at me.

"Jealous, Tami-chan?"

"Of what?" I reply coolly, my face emotionally void.

"We get to go with Otou-san to work, and you don't. You'll be stuck in the house all day long while we're out having fun."

"And? That just means I'll have more time to train than you four." He sneers.

"Yeah, and you need it, don't you, you pathetic excuse for a Sohma?" I bite back a retort and simply say,

"I could use it, yes." He smirks.

"But don't think you'll get ahead of us, Tami-chan. We might even be able to meet those boys Otou-san mentioned earlier. The Uchiha boys. We could learn something from them."

"Good for you," I say sulkily and shift to the side, attempting to get around him. However, he grabs my arm and shoves me to the floor. I land on my side and sit upright, glaring at him. He returns it.

"You should learn some manners, Tami-chan. One of these days, you'll get yourself killed."

"Perhaps so," I reply acidly. He moves to kick me, but I grab his ankle, holding it a mere six inches from my face. He looks taken aback at my reaction and is surprised by how strong I am. I grip his ankle hard and return my gaze to him, having been distracted by his attack. "Are you done acting like an idiot?" He yanks his ankle out of my grip and instead tackles me. He pins me to the floor and starts trying to hit me, but I kick him off of me, rolling out of his reach and standing up. He races at me again and I sink my fist into his stomach. Saliva drips from his mouth and onto the floor and his breath leaves him in a gust. He sinks to his knees wheezing and I back up. After a minute or two he stands again, clutching his stomach. He points at me and mutters,

"You're gonna regret that." I chuckle.

"Sure I will," I reply sarcastically. With that he turns and walks away. I walk to my room and lock the door behind me. I sigh heavily. What am I thinking? Bo will tell the others and they'll be after my head. And if Otou-san finds out…I sigh again and sit down on my bed, crossing my legs and resting my hands lightly on them. My eyes shut lightly, my eyelashes barely skimming my skin. I need to meditate.

It's four-nineteen when I open my eyes again. I stand and stretch, feeling much calmer and focused than I did hours ago. The others still aren't home yet, as I don't feel any emotions. I walk to the front of the house and watch out the window for awhile. After a few minutes I hear a knock on the door and go to answer it. I look through the hole in the door and see it's my uncle Naoaki. He knocks again and I answer the door. He looks down at me with his usual blank face.

"Hello Tami-chan. Where's Takai?"

"He's at work. He took my brothers with him today, and they'll be back in about an hour," I reply, closing the door once he's inside. He takes a look around.

"I see."

"You're more than welcome to stay until they get home, Oji-san," I say.

"No, I'd better not stay long. You know how your aunt gets when I'm away for too long. She gets suspicious." I nod. "Just tell Takai that I'd like to talk to him, alright?"

"Y-yes Sir," I say, bowing respectfully. My uncle's a rather nice person and treats me with a respect that no one else does. He pats me on the head and walks out. I lock the door back up and look at the clock. It's four forty-two. I decide to make yakisoba and yakitori for dinner, seeing as it's one of Otou-san's favorites. I pull out a pot, a handful of skewers, and all the ingredients I need.

It takes me fifty minutes to cook everything and I keep an eye on the clock as I work. The others are going to be home any minute now. I pull the yakitori out of the oven, which I used instead of grilling them, and set them on a wide plate, which I place on the table. I then set the bowls of yakisoba on the table and finish setting out utensils and drinks. I'm just about to sit down when I hear the front door slam open and loud footsteps in the front hall. Waves of anger hit me one after another and I wonder what possibly could have happened. They walk in one by one and take their places around the table, looking irate and volatile. Our father isn't among them.

"W-what happened?" I ask, looking around at all of them. Goku sighs and says,

"Otou-san's pissed. We all are. Today was…well…"

"It was a total fucking disaster! Otou-san's friend is a complete bastard!" Kai says, slamming his fist down on the table, shaking everything.

"How so?" I inquire.

"He barely seemed interested at all! It was as if we weren't even there half the time! He just talked about you! You and Itachi-san!"

"Who's Itachi-san?"

"Fugaku-san's elder son," Fushen says, draining his cup of tea. "Apparently, Itachi-san's a genius. He's only thirteen years old and already he's a Jonin." My jaw drops a little. A Jonin? At only thirteen? He's the same age as Bo. I feel a little jealousy come from them and know they must envy Itachi-san's abilities. Anyone would.

"D-doesn't he have another son?" I ask.

"Fugaku-san doesn't mention him often. Apparently he's not as skilled as his brother." I nod, knowing how it feels to be in second-place to your siblings.

"And Fugaku-san wouldn't shut up about him!" Bo shouts. "It was always 'Itachi this' and 'Itachi that'! How the hell are we supposed to compete with someone like that?"

"And he kept mentioning you!" Kai says accusingly, glaring at me like it's MY fault.

"W-why would he do that?" I ask, pouring Fushen more tea.

"Hell if I know! Maybe he thinks you and Itachi-san are two of a kind – geniuses." He rolls his eyes. "If only he knew!" Our father walks in then, looking tired and cranky as well. The room goes very quiet and the tension in the room is nearly tangible. I sit down and we eat, staring downwards at our individual places.

"H…how was your day, Otou-san?" I ask softly. I know it's a ridiculous question, but I'm at a loss of what else to say. The others shoot me incredulous looks, as if saying, "Are you crazy?"

"Hmph," is my father's monosyllable reply. Dinner goes on without interruption afterwards and after everyone's through they scurry out of the room. Soon the only people that remain are myself and my father, who is sitting at the table and sipping his sake slowly. I start on the dinner dishes and after ten minutes of silence, my father speaks, interrupting my train of thought the same way he had earlier today.

"Girl." I stop my work and turn to him once more.

"Sir?"

"Fugaku requested that I bring you to visit him tomorrow afternoon. You are to be prepared to leave at no later than half-past twelve SHARP. Do you understand me?"

"Yes Sir," I reply.

"And put some make up on over all those cuts and bruises on your arms, neck, and face." With that he stands and begins to make his way out of the kitchen.

"Oh, Otou-san." He pauses, not turning to face me. "Oji-san stopped by earlier today and said he wants to see you." He nods and walks out. I finish up with the kitchen and head to bed, looking forward to a good night's sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

I wake up to bright sunshine and take a hot shower, thinking about the day ahead. Once out I make breakfast, as usual, but after cooking I head to my room for some more meditation. I need to clear my mind of all violent emotions before I leave the house. That way I can pick up on more pleasant ones easier. Once I reach my room, I pull out the compact mirror and cover-up I use for when I go see the doctor and smear some over my injuries. Then I set my alarm clock for twenty minutes past noon so I have ten minutes to get up and to the front of the house. I close my eyes and sink into my subconscious state.

My alarm goes off as scheduled and I turn it off. I'm calm now, my mind vacant of all thought and emotion.

"TAMI-CHAN, HURRY THE HELL UP!" I slowly shift my eyes in the direction of the ruckus – my bedroom door. Kai is pounding on it mercilessly and I can feel how disturbed his emotions are, a thick mixture of jealousy and antagonism. "OTOU-SAN SAID YOU NEED TO GET READY TO LEAVE! MOVE YOUR ASS!" Moving slowly, I walk to the door in my usual post-meditation daze. I open the door after sliding back the bolt on it and am greeted by my brother's angry, red-cheeked face. He's panting a little from all his screaming. I spare him a moment's hesitation before continuing on my way. "HEY! Are you listening to me, you-!" He puts a rough hand on my shoulder and I grab it, tug him forward, slide him over my back, and slam him into the floor. He coughs up blood and spit and I leave him there gasping. My father is waiting for me at the front door. He's tapping his foot quickly and his arms are crossed.

"What took you so long?" he asks.

"Sorry Otou-san. I didn't mean to dawdle," I reply in a monotonous tone. He looks at me carefully, then shrugs and beckons for me to follow him.

They day is overcast and dark, a gloomy presence settling over Konoha. I follow my father silently, taking in the sights. In the long ten years that have been my life, never have I been able to take in the city like this. However, it's a poor day to do so. People are a little dull today, and many keep looking at the sky. However, halfway there, I'm blind-sided by a blonde boy with stripes on his face. He's running away from something and laughing hysterically. We fall to the ground, him on top of me.

"S-sorry!" he says and helps me up.

"No worries," I reply, smiling. I like his emotions. They're warm and playful. He eyes me closely, taking in my face.

"Hey, I haven't seen you around before. Are you new here?"

"N-no. I just don't get out a lot."

"Oh. Are you training to become a ninja?" I nod. "How come I don't see you at the academy?"

"I-!" My father then grabs me roughly by the arm.

"Come ON, Tami-chan, we have to GO," he says, glaring at him. He starts to drag me away and the boy yells,

"HEY! What's your name?"

"Tami!" I call back. He grins.

"I'M UZUMAKI NARUTO!" I smile and we round a corner, thus making him invisible to me.

"Do you know him, Otou-san?" I ask. He glares at me.

"I don't want you talking to him again. EVER."

"What? Why?" I ask, hurrying to keep up with my father's long strides.

"He's a misbehaving nuisance whose birth was a mistake," he replies and I feel hurt. How could he SAY something like that? Then again, he damns MY birth, and I'm his daughter. He doesn't speak after that and we lapse into silence. I can't keep off my mind those pleasant emotions Naruto possessed, though. He's actually HAPPY. I've never felt that from those at home, except for in a vindictive sort of way. I LIKED it.

We round a few more corners and walk for about two more blocks until an enclosed estate comes into view.

"That's it, Tami. Now listen to me VERY carefully." I turn to him, giving him my full attention. He turns his cold eyes on me in return. "You are to be on your BEST damn behavior. Fugaku is my friend and they are a very powerful family in Konoha. If you do ONE THING out of line, you are in SERIOUS trouble. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear, Sir," I reply quietly, shrinking back form him a little. His ferocity is nearly physical, which worries me. What if the Uchiha boys are like my brothers? Meditation can only do so much. We continue walking and we hear voices from the other side. I'm walking closest to the wall, so I try to distinguish what they're saying. A deep voice says,

"Itachi, Sasuke, you two know to behave yourselves, right?"

"Yes Otou-san!" a higher voice says.

"Of course," another voice replies, this voice deep and cool.

"Good. Our guests will be here any minute." I suddenly feel very shy. I've never been around other people before, except the doctor every now and then. I grab my father's sleeve.

"O-Otou-san?" He pauses.

"What?" he asks briskly, yet softly, as to not let them know we're here.

"The Uchihas…are nice people, right?" I ask, blushing and trembling.

"Yes, they are, now stop wasting time." He pulls himself free of my grasp and we walk to an opening in the enclosure. There I pause, while my father walks right in.

"Takai!" I peek around the corner and see my father and another man embrace in a brotherly way, a way that I've never seen him use with my uncle. They smile at each other and I see the other man look around. "Where's little Tami-chan?" My father whips around.

"She was right-!" He then spots me near the wall. I feel myself redden. "Tami-chan, come here." I take a trembling step forward.

"Come, Tami-chan, there's no need to be shy," Mr. Uchiha says gently, smiling at me. He's giving off gentle emotions, while my father's are getting harsher, so I slowly walk forward, knowing my face is quite red by this point. I reach them and bow gently.

"H-hello Sir," I say quietly. He chuckles.

"Hello there, Tami-chan." He smiles at my father. "She's so shy."

"Yes, I know she is. She doesn't like strangers, so we normally don't take her out, like I told you yesterday," my father lies smoothly, a smile plastered on his face. He pats me on the head, which is extremely foreign to me. I control the urge to do to him what I did to Kai earlier in the hallway, but I know that will do nothing but get me into trouble. I then become aware of the other people around us. To my right, sitting on the porch, are two raven-haired boys, one older than the other, and I assume they're Itachi and Sasuke. Sasuke has a cute, innocent-looking face while Itachi has a sterner, yet playful one. Itachi has two long incisions that run from the inner corners of his eyes to about the middle of his cheeks. They're both staring at me and Sasuke leans closer to his brother, whispering something to him. The woman who's standing behind him, who too has long dark hair, raps him on the head with something and appears to scold him. Sasuke laughs sheepishly and rubs the spot where she hit him.

"So, Tami-chan, I bet you'd like to meet my family, hm?" Fugaku asks, smiling. I nod eagerly and we walk over. Itachi and Sasuke stand up and meet us halfway. They smile at me gently and I feel their pleasant emotions as well. Happiness, curiosity, and anxiety roll off them like waves. "Tami-chan, these are my sons Itachi and Sasuke. Itachi, Sasuke, this is Sohma Tami, the girl I told you about." We all bow to each other respectfully and I smile. "And this is my wife, Mikoto." She smiles and waves at me.

"It's nice to meet you, Tami-chan."

"It's nice to meet you too." I look around at everyone and say, "So, this is what happiness is like, huh? Are all introductions this pleasant?" I ask. Everyone stares at me, looking awed.

"My my, you can feel emotions without having to touch people?" Itachi asks. I nod. "Can you read minds yet?"

"No, not yet, I'm afraid," I reply, blushing gently. He smiles.

"Don't be so bashful. You're like Sasuke – you just have to grow into your abilities." Sasuke blushes as well, looking embarrassed.

"Well Takai, Mikoto, how about we leave these three to their own devices and we go inside to talk about other matters?" Fugaku asks.

"Alright. Should I put some tea on, dear?" Mikoto asks.

"That sounds wonderful, Mikoto, thank you," he replies and she kisses him and her sons on the heads as she walks inside. My father and Fugaku follow behind her and my father gives me a warning glance. I shrink back slightly from his heated gaze and he closes the door. I shiver a little.

"You can drop the act now. And you can take off all that make up," Itachi says. I jump.

"W-what?" He reaches forward and rubs my face slightly where there's cover-up and pulls his hand back, holding it up so I can see it.

"This. How much do you have on?" I blush again.

"Some," I say vaguely. He sighs.

"Are you going to make me search for it?"

"N-no. B-b-but you can't take it off! My otou-san would kill me!" I stutter. He gives me a questioning look.

"Literally?" I blush darker.

"N-no, probably not, but I AM going to be severely punished if he comes back and the make up is gone."

"I see. So, I take it these aren't from training?"

"W-well SOME of them are," I say defensively. "But…not…ALL of them…"

"Then how'd you get the others?" Sasuke asks.

"My brothers jump me a lot," I reply. "And I get in trouble frequently."

"Oh," he says uncomfortably.

"Say, what do you two say to walking around the estate a little? Tami-chan, would you like a tour?" Itachi asks.

"That sounds great," I reply. He beckons us to follow and we start on our walk.

"So, how come you don't go to the academy, Tami-chan?" Sasuke asks.

"I-I don't know. Funny, a blonde boy asked me the same thing earlier today," I say, reminiscing my encounter earlier.

"Blonde boy?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah. He said his name is Uzumaki Naruto," I reply and he quirks an eyebrow.

"You hang out with him?"

"I just met him. My dad says I'm not allowed to talk to him anymore, though," I say, feeling downcast. "I just don't know _why_."

"I don't know why, either," Sasuke says. "But he's a class clown. He always gets himself into trouble, he never pays attention in class, and he plays practical jokes on everyone."

"How come?" I ask.

"I don't know. I know he's an orphan, and that he's kind of been raised by the Hokage and Iruka-Sensei, but even THEY can't make him behave," he says.

"You see, something happened to Naruto a couple years ago. And it makes everyone in the village that remembers fear and reject him, even though he's just a kid who doesn't know anything," Itachi says.

"How do you know this, Itachi-sama?" I ask, turning to him instead. He smirks.

"Don't call me Itachi-SAMA. Just Itachi."

"Well, okay, if you say so. But how do you know this?" I ask again, blushing faintly.

"I was about three at the time. You and Sasuke were born that year, too, same as Naruto, so of course you two can't remember it. And the Hokage made it a law that no one can tell you two about it. None of the children born after that time are to know about it," he says.

"Oh. Is it really bad?" I ask. Itachi sighs.

"You ask a lot of questions, Tami-chan," he says, smiling at me and messing with my hair gently. I blush again.

"Well, I don't get out a lot, as I'm sure you can tell."

"How often DO you get out of the boundaries of your house?" Sasuke asks.

"Whenever I sneak off to see a doctor. That's about it," I reply.

"You have to SNEAK OFF to do that?" he asks, looking shocked. I nod. We walk for awhile in silence, then Itachi starts pointing out certain aspects of the house to me. I brush Itachi's hand with my own once and an image flashes through my mind in a whirl. I freeze mid-step, my eyes wide. They stop and look back at me.

"Tami-chan?" Sasuke asks.

"Tami-chan, are you alright?" Itachi asks, stepping a little closer. I tremble a little and feel my knees start to give way as the world starts to spin. What had I just seen? It was merely a flash, but…I could have sworn I saw…blood…I feel someone wrap their arms around me and hold me off the ground as I start to collapse.

"Tami-chan!" Sasuke cries, hurrying forward. Itachi holds me up, using fragile touches as if worried he'll hurt me. "Nii-san, what's wrong with her? Is she okay?"

"I don't know, Sasuke, be quiet for a second," he replies sternly. Itachi puts a hand on my forehead. "She's got a bit of a fever…Tami-chan, can you hear me?" I nod a little, staring at the ground. What WAS that? I can't get that flash out of my head. It had been too quick…I must have been seeing something…But…Isn't that what it was? Sight…into Itachi's mind?

"I'm okay, Itachi. I'm sorry," I say quietly, pulling myself upright. He stares at me firmly.

"Are you sure? You just collapsed; most people don't just do that."

"Yeah, I'm fine. My abilities make me dizzy sometimes. It comes with having a kekkei-genkai that's based off your brain."

"Oh, I see." He stands back up, having knelt down to hold onto me. "Are you sure you're alright though?" I nod.

"I'm fine." We continue our walk and I make sure not to touch Itachi again. We finish our lap and sit together in the courtyard. After sitting for a few minutes in silence, I say, "Itachi, may I try something?"

"Sure. What is it?" I edge closer to him.

"Am…Am I allowed to touch you?" He nods, giving me a curious look. I take a deep breath and put my fingers to his temples, like I do with my brothers. I close my eyes gently, fearing the worst – that I see something truly ghastly.

Images flood into my brain and the entire scene plays before me…I see all he plans to do…There's blood all over the place, people pleading for mercy, dead bodies littering the floor…I see out of his perspective his parents…They're tied up on the floor, and he raises his katana…He brings it down in a sweep- - -!

I yank my fingers away from Itachi's skin and back up, sliding as far away from him as I can. Tears rise to my eyes and I cover my mouth with one hand. He studies my expression and I watch as his eyes widen bit by bit.

"You saw…" he mutters.

"W-w-when-?" I choke, tears streaming down my face. "W-w-w-why?" He stands up and tries to grab me, but I pull away, terrified. I just watched his plan to kill his family – who knows what he'll do to _me_.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he says softly and I feel the sincerity and honesty in his voice. I reach out and put a hand to his chest, over his heart. The heart never lies.

"Say that again," I squeak softly. He nods, understanding.

"I'm not going to harm you, I promise. I just need you to follow me." I feel his honesty and nod shakily. He takes my hand and helps me to my feet. Once I'm solidly on the ground, I let go and he releases me, considerate once more. Sasuke's staring wide-eyed at us.

"W-wait, nii-san! Where are you-?"

"Stay here, Sasuke, we'll be back in a second." He opens his mouth to argue, but I shake my head, so he closes it. Itachi leads me away and we walk to the other side of the courtyard, to a bench. He makes me sit down and he assumes the spot next to me. I clutch the end of my dress tightly, worried still. A moment of silence.

"Relax. I told you, I'm not going to hurt you."

"S-still. I can't help but be worried."

"Are you scared of me, or of what you saw?"

"W-what I saw."

"Then relax. I'm still the same Itachi I was five minutes ago." I nod erratically, though not entirely reassured. I'm trembling, and when he notices he puts a hand on mine gently. "Calm down, Tami-chan." I nod, only more slowly and evenly this time. I pull my legs up under me and close my eyes. "What're you-?"

"Shhh…I'm calming myself down."

"Oh. Alright." He leaves me in silence for a few minutes and once I'm more stable I open my eyes. I turn to him. "Feeling a little better?" I nod, my face blank again.

"Meditation helps." He nods slowly. "Did you want to ask me something?"

"I want to explain to you what you saw. Well, it might be better if you tell me everything you saw first." I slowly depict all of the images that I'd seen and he waits patiently. Once I finish he pauses for a long moment before saying,

"I see." I blush and tilt my head downward, to stare at my lap instead.

"I'm sorry, Itachi. I didn't know I'd see anything. I never have before."

"I understand," he replies softly. His voice gives me chills and I feel a quick surge of frightened adrenaline. I'm in trouble, deeper trouble than I'd ever been in with my father. Itachi is an ANBU Op…He could kill me right now, with minimal effort… "Tami-chan, are you still scared of me?" I start, surprised, then blush more furiously and refuse to meet his eyes.

"Slightly."

"If I told you I could explain all you saw, would you be less afraid of me?"

"Perhaps. It depends on what you say," I reply honestly. He nods again.

"Well, I'll start at the beginning then. I don't want to kill my family – I have to."

"Why?" I ask, confused.

"It's an order of Konoha. My family is acquiring power to overthrow the Hokage and gain control of Konoha. They've assigned me the job of killing them so they don't get the chance." My jaw drops, and I'm stunned into speechlessness.

"They…assigned YOU? You're their son, and it's your family. How could you accept it?"

"I had no choice. They would have killed me _and_ the entire family if I hadn't." His voice is pained and he looks at me almost pleadingly. "Tami-chan, you have to understand…I don't want to do this."

"I believe you, Itachi. But…is there no other way?" He shakes his head.

"I know my father won't listen. It may even make him want to attack sooner. But…I need you to do something for me. Please?" I nod. "Please, warn Sasuke. Tell him to stay away from here a week from tomorrow." I choke.

"Th-that soon?' He nods solemnly. "I'm sorry, Itachi."

"It's not your problem, Tami-chan. I just need you to do this one thing for me. That's all I ask. I know, it's too early to be asking favors, since we just met, but – " I hold up a hand to stop him.

"I'm glad I can help, Itachi. You two are the first people that have treated me with real kindness and respect for as long as I can remember – possibly since my birth. I want to do anything I can to help you." He gives me a small, sad smile.

"Thank you, Tami-chan." His expression turns grave. "But be careful. Don't put your allegiances with the wrong people. After this, I'll be considered a dangerous criminal and I'll leave Konoha, perhaps indefinitely."

"Even though they ordered you to?" He gives me a slender smile again.

"No, I'm not being exiled – I'm running away."

"Y-you're leaving?"

"No one knows about this except me, and now you. Everyone will think I killed them in an attempt to gain power. I also have to kill…my best friend." He casts his eyes downward. "It's the curse of being a prodigy. You and I are alike, both in talent and destiny. We're both going to go through hardships equivalent to no other. We'll be targeted as artillery, both for the good of our country and the focal antagonism of others. I feel I should warn you ahead of time, you being young and innocent, barely knowledgeable of the world outside your household." He stares at me with sincere eyes. "Tami-chan, do you understand what I'm telling you?" I nod curtly.

"Every word." He nods as well, then stands.

"Let's go back over to Sasuke." I nod and we walk across the courtyard to Sasuke, who's eyeing us curiously.

"What was that all about, Itachi?" Itachi pokes his brother's forehead, a mysterious and wise smile on his face.

"Nothing, Sasuke, don't worry about it." Sasuke pouts.

"How come I don't get to know?"

"You wouldn't understand." He points at me.

"How come SHE gets to know?"

"She saw by accident and I needed to explain. That's all." Sasuke crosses his arms, indignant.

"You never tell me ANYTHING."

"It's for your own good, Sasuke. Sometimes ignorance really is bliss," he replies, messing with his brother's hair before sitting next to him. Sasuke sighs in defeat.

"Fine, nii-san. Have it your way – AGAIN." I giggle and Sasuke smiles slightly, blushing. I feel his shy happiness and wonder what causes it – this feeling of sincerity and a liking towards someone that isn't in someone else. Sasuke seems to like me more than Itachi does; his heart beats faster when I'm close to him, and he feels flustered. I'm not sure what it is, but I like it.


	3. Chapter 3

We talk for three hours or so more before my father and I take our leave.

"I hope I get to visit again soon. It was very nice meeting you, Sasuke, and you too, Itachi," I say, bowing slightly. They smile at me.

"Hope to see you soon, Tami-chan," Sasuke says.

"Come back again really soon," Itachi says, and he looks me carefully in the eyes, a silent transmission of meaning. My father then turns and start walking away and I follow him.

"So what did you learn about Sasuke and Itachi?" he asks gruffly.

"Sasuke's very nice. And Itachi is really nice too. Itachi's also really smart," I say, the words pouring out of my mouth. The amiability of my afternoon with the Uchihas hasn't worn off, so I'm still very loquacious. "And they're both very generous people, and they're emotions are so pleasant!"

"And since when can you feel emotions?" I blush and stutter,

"W-well, I can't f-feel anything small, but I-I've been able to pick up on strong emotions from a small distance for a while now."

"I see. I take it you didn't feel the need to tell me this?"

"U-um…I thought you would know. I thought Sohmas could just tell when someone else has it. Like, from how they act or something."

"That's stupid. How could that mean anything?"

"Well, if they're in a house full of hateful, cruel people, then they'd usually act accordingly, right?" I ask, a slight insinuation to how our household is.

"Hmph," is all he says in reply. We continue in silence for a while before he says, in a more cheerful tone, "So what do you think of Itachi?"

"He's very nice. He's also extremely intelligent. I can understand why his father praises him so highly." He nods.

"And he's very attractive too, don't you think?" I blush.

"I-I guess so…"

"You know, Fugaku and I hope you two will get married when you're older." My face turns bright red and I freeze, gaping at him.

"What?" MARRIED? I'd just met him!

"You heard me. You two marrying would bring our families closer together. And imagine it – the Sharingan and the Tamashii Senkensha together! What a powerful and unique child that would be!" I continue to gape at him, my face red.

"B-but Otou-san! Itachi and I just met!"

"I'm not telling you to marry him NOW, you stupid girl. You'll have plenty of time to get to know him over the next few years. But once you two are of age, then there won't be any arguing." I'm still in shock, but my father starts walking again, so I follow. Marry Itachi? They don't even know what he's going to do. How can I marry someone who won't even be a Konoha resident by next week?

"Umm…Otou-san, what about Sasuke-kun? He and I are the same age, and-"

"Sasuke? The little one? Pft, why him? Itachi's so much better then Sasuke." I feel a surge of anger towards my father and say,

"What if I like Sasuke more than Itachi? Why is being more advanced than anyone else always the defining factor for you? What if I just happen to feel closer to Sasuke?"

"Are you talking back to me?" he asks coolly, turning to me with a dark look in his eyes.

"I just don't see why you have to hate everyone who isn't gifted!" I say, my hands griping the hems of my sleeves.

"Those who are weak don't deserve life. It's survival of the fittest, Tami-chan. If you can't compete, you don't deserve to live. That's just how life works."

"But Sasuke ISN'T weak! He's just not as strong as Itachi!"

"If there's someone stronger than you, you either get strong enough to go against him or he kills you." I feel a sick surge of grief, realizing how true this statement is going to be soon enough. Except Sasuke will be the only person left, ironically. We continue walking and I mull over the afternoon's events. We reach home soon enough and I get to work on dinner.

Later that night, I lie awake in bed. All the others are asleep, but my mind is too active for me to do the same. My thoughts are on the Uchiha brothers. They're the two most amazing people I've ever met, but at the same time the most unfortunate. Their family is going to be lost to them forever. It's so awful. I feel like a terrible person for saying this, but I would trade places with them in a heartbeat.

A rap on my window snaps me out of my reverie and I shoot upright in bed, turning around. There's no one there, so I get up and open it. A warm spring breeze flows in and I hear someone say,

"Hey." I hop out the window and land on the porch next to the speaker. I look up and my eyes widen.

"Itachi?" He gives me a small smile and I ask, "What're you doing here so late? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's fine. Mind if we talk for a while?" I shake my head and smile. We sit down together, our legs dangling off the side of the porch. Moonlight trickled through the clouds and covered the yard with patches of white. "I feel I should apologize for involving you, Tami-chan."

"But it wasn't your fault," I reply, turning to him.

"Maybe not, but I still asked a favor of you," he says, his black eyes serious. "It wasn't right of me to."

"Itachi, I told you, I'm glad I can help," I say, giving him a small smile.

"Well, is there anything I can do to even us out?" he asks and I shake my head again.

"As long as we're friends. That's all I really need." He feels the harsh reality of this statement and says,

"Well you don't even have to ask for that." I feel the warm, bubbly sensation of happiness and grin. I turn to him and ask,

"So, what're you doing here?"

"Felt like talking, that's all," he replies. "You don't mind, do you? You seem rather awake for it being nearly eleven at night."

"No, I don't mind. If you hadn't shown up I probably would have meditated or trained."

"What has you up, anyway?" he asks.

"You two. I've had you and Sasuke on my mind since I got home." Itachi laughs.

"Why's that?"

"Probably because you two are my first friends," I reply. His face falls and he says,

"Tami, I hate having to tell you this, but…don't get too attached to us. You know I'm intent on leaving, and Sasuke…this is going to scar him for life. He may stop talking to you." I sigh hard, facing the truth in his statement. I've known this, of course, but I didn't want to think about it.

"I know," I mutter softly. "But…I can't help but be excited. This may be the only human interaction I get for another very long period of time. As much as it's going to hurt when you go, I'm going to take pleasure in every second I get to see you two." He exhales softly and puts a gentle hand on my head. He hastily removes it and murmurs a quick apology.

"Don't want to burden your mind much more."

"It's okay, Itachi. I didn't see anything." His head tilts to the side and I feel his confusion.

"You didn't?" I shake my head and he tentatively puts his hand back on the crown of my head. I don't see anything and I shake my head again. "That's very strange. Don't your powers work in stages?" I nod. "Then why can't you see anything? I thought you progressed to the next one."

"I guess not. It must have been only a one-time thing." That doesn't make any sense though. How can I see something at one point, then not see anything later? You don't just switch these powers off. Itachi shrugs and I push the thought out of my mind. I'll figure it out later. We sit like that for what feels like hours before he stands and says,

"It's late. I should probably get going." I nod and stand up, too. He leans forward and presses a soft kiss to my forehead.

"Goodnight, Tami-chan. Don't stay up too late."

"I won't," I promise. With that, he walks off the porch and vanishes into the night.

The following week passes by in a blur. With each passing day, I feel more and more worn down by my fierce anxieties, feeling them gnaw at my insides. I've never had to keep a secret before; figures the first one I have to keep is a matter of life and death. On the afternoon before the massacre, I venture into the sitting room to find my father. He's sitting with my brothers, brooding as usual.

"Otou-san?" I say softly. He turns to me, his brown eyes cold. "M-may I go and visit the Uchihas?" To my surprise, he actually SMILES.

"Of course. Send them my regards." I nod and walk out, feeling the jealousy coming off my brothers. If only they knew WHY I'm going to visit them…I walk out into the dull gray haze of the overcast afternoon and sigh. It's as if the weather KNOWS. The venture to the Uchiha compound is long and with every step I feel more and more guilty. _Breathe,_ I tell myself. _Don't give them reason to suspect something's wrong_. I reach the compound and as I step into the courtyard, I catch Sasuke's eye.

"Tami-chan!" He runs over to me and I feel his excitement. "Hey! What're you doing here?"

"I just thought I'd drop by today," I reply, giving him a smile that isn't entirely forced. His joy at seeing me is heartwarming; I've never had such a positive impact on anyone before. "Is that all right? I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"No, not really. I've just been training by myself. Itachi's too _busy_ to train with me," he says, looking irritated. I laugh nervously. "But he's ALWAYS too busy. And my father's at work. I don't really like training with my mother…She always goes easy on me."

"I'll train with you, if you'd like," I offer. His face brightens.

"Really? Okay!"

"Is there somewhere else we can go?" I ask. "I want to see other parts of the city."

"Oh yeah, that'd probably be good for you," he says. He smiles and says, "Wait here, I'll go tell my mother where we're going." He runs inside and I release a sigh of relief. If I can just manage to keep him out of the house all day…

"You're quite good." I jump hard and spin around. Itachi's standing behind me, his eyes on the door Sasuke had run into.

"H-hi Itachi-san," I stutter, my pulse rising.

"Hi," he says, looking down at me. "I like how you devised to keep him out of the house. Was your reasoning planned?"

"No," I say. "Every part of that conversation was offhand. I just took what he gave me and did what I could." He nods.

"Impressive. You're a natural at improvising."

"Th-thank you." He looks back at the door as Sasuke walks out.

Oh, hi Itachi," he says, running back over to me.

"Tami-chan tells me you two are going to go and train," Itachi comments casually.

"Yeah, we are," he says.

"That's good. Perhaps you can teach her a few things."

"Would you?" I ask, turning to Sasuke. He grins.

"Sure. You could probably use THAT, too." I smile and Sasuke takes my hand. "Come on. Bye, nii-san!"

"Good-bye, Sasuke, Tami," Itachi replies. He smiles, but the warmth doesn't reach his eyes. Sasuke pulls me away and onto the street.

"I wonder what will happen if my father stops by and I'm not there," I muse aloud.

"Will you be in trouble?" Sasuke asks.

"Probably not. After all, I AM hanging out with you; I think that's all that matters to him." Sasuke smiles and says,

"Your dad likes my family a lot, doesn't he?" I nod.

"More than ours, I think. He's certainly friendlier towards your father than my uncle."

"Wow…Well, Itachi's nicer to you than me," he says. I blush.

"Well, maybe it's because I'm a GIRL." Sasuke nods.

"I suppose that makes sense." We walk for a while before reaching the more bustling part of town.

"Wow," I mutter, looking around.

"Have you _ever_ been in town?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at me. I shake my head. "Wow. I can't imagine NOT coming here." I shrug.

"I mean, my brothers come here all the time. I'm not entirely sure why it's been just me that been kept in seclusion."

"Well, from the way you make it sound, your father doesn't seem to like you very much," he says, and I feel a twinge of sympathy come from him.

"He likes me enough to keep me, I suppose," I say and he makes a face.

"That's…pretty morbid, actually," he says and I laugh.

"I don't mind it. I rather like the days when everyone in my household leaves me alone. I don't really like being around them. They're so…ANGRY, all the time. Since I'll get beaten up if I even pose an argument to something they say, I'm really worried about being around them for long periods of time. Being empathic can truly be a double-ended sword," I say.

"Seems like it," he agrees. "It does have its advantages though, right?"

"Oh, of course. I know when it's the worst time to talk to my father or brothers, and when it's just best to avoid them. Also, feeling emotions can help me know when someone's about to, say, enter a room or the house. When I gain the other levels of my kekkei-genkai, I'll be able to do much more."

"What sorts of abilities does your kekkei-genkai possess?" he asks.

"Well, the next stage, telepathy, will allow me to hear the thoughts of others. I'll probably have to touch people at first, but as I become more up to par with it, like with empathy, I should be able to do it without contact. The third, premonition, will allow me to see into the future."

"Wow," he says, his eyes broadening with interest. "How far?"

"I'm not sure," I reply. "Apparently, that power is the most selective. I'll only be able to see certain things, and I won't be able to choose what I see or when I see it."

"Oh. That still may come in handy, though."

"I'm sure it shall."

"What's the fourth?" A sly smile crosses my face.

"The fourth will most definitely be useful. It will allow me to tap into another person's mind and control them. For instance, if I want, I can make them blind, deaf, numb in any part of their body, and manipulate their body to my liking. I could paralyze an opponent from twenty yards away, if I become really good at it." He utters a low whistle and says,

"Yeah, I can see how that would be helpful." I take a deep breath.

"The fifth and final stage will be the most difficult to reach. It's…instantaneous death for whoever receives it."

"What does it do?" Sasuke asks.

"It destroys a person's soul," I reply and he spins around.

"H-how?"

"I don't know. I've never really given it much thought; I doubt I'll ever be able to achieve that level. There's only been one other Sohma to reach it."

"Who was that?"

"My grandfather. He's the most powerful member of my family."

"Has he ever used it?" I nod.

"Only once, and that was when he gained it. He's afraid to use it again, mainly because we have no knowledge of how it works or if there are side effects."

"Well, you'll never know unless you try," he says and I nod.

"But he's much older now. I don't think it's safe for him to experiment with his powers." He shrugs and we continue on in silence. I hadn't noticed, but he'd led me into a forest. "Sasuke, where are we?"

"We're going to my training area. It's easier to get to if we go by the academy, but…" He pauses and his cheeks flush slightly. "There are a lot of girls in my class that would start asking questions if they saw us together." I arch an eyebrow at him and when he notices his blush darkens. "There are a bunch of stupid girls in my class that have crushes on me. I hate all the attention they give me. They always want to train with me, or eat lunch with me, or hang out. It's pathetic." I laugh.

"Not afraid of girls, are you, Sasuke?"

"No!" he says defiantly. "I just don't like them."

"What about me? Am I okay?" I ask.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, you're fine," he replies quickly. "But you're not annoying. You aren't constantly gushing about 'how cool I am' or 'how smart I am'." I laugh.

"Is it just the flattery that makes you mad?" I ask.

"No, not just that," he says. "They're just…annoying. It feels like I can't go anywhere without being adored or cast aside. Everyone I don't want to notice me, notices me, and everyone I DO, doesn't."

"I'm sorry, Sasuke." He shrugs again, but I can feel his frustration and sorrow.

"It's not your fault."

The remainder of the walk is quiet, but a peaceful quiet; a silent walk between friends. The trees suddenly give out and I find myself in a small clearing. The grass is matted down from frequent trampling and there are targets nearby, looking worn from use. I smile and turn to him.

"It's nice. I like it."

"Good." He sets his bag down and pulls out a strand of kunai knives held together by twine. He unties a few and hands them to me. "You know how to use these, right?" A smirk twists my lips and I whip around, tossing one at a target behind me. A perfect bulls-eye. I return my gaze to him and say,

"That demonstration enough?" He looks stunned, but smiles.

"Not bad." He stands, holding a few more knives between his pale fingers. "Just makes me wonder what all you have to learn." I shrug.

"We could just spar and find out." A mischievous glint sparks in his eyes and he replies,

"Alright. Let's do it." He tosses the weapons to the ground, so I follow suit, and we stand about ten feet apart. "Don't worry, I'll go easy on you." I laugh.

"Please don't. You won't be able to get a very accurate idea of how much I know if you do."

"If you insist." He runs toward me and launches a punch aimed for my ribs. I swing my arm down and parry easily, swatting his punch to the side. I then swing my hand for his neck, catching him in the pressure point at the base. He winces slightly, then kicks me hard in me right side. I drop to the ground, but hop right back up and ready myself for another attack. He shoots forward and tries to punch me in the chest, but I catch his fist and twist his arm. He tugs out of my grip and I swing my leg up, catching him in the side before rotating on my heel and spinning into a roundhouse. He throws his arms up and blocks, and I feel the shockwaves of pain that shoot through them. He clasps a hand around my ankle and tugs, pulling me off the ground and flipping me upside down, rocking me so when he lets go I land face-down. He puts his foot on my back and says in a cocky voice,

"Eh, not bad." I roll out from under his foot and get back up.

"Who said we were finished? I'm not quitting yet." He looks surprised, then grins.

"Alright, let's keep going then." And we do. We keep at it for nearly an hour longer, then we manage to get each other in strangle-holds, our hands pressing down on the other's larynx. I manage a choked laugh.

"Draw?"

"Sounds good," he says, letting go as I do. As we suck in much-needed gasps of air, I smile at him.

"You're a very good fighter, Sasuke-kun. Thank you for sparring with me."

"My pleasure," he replies, returning the smile. "You're better than I thought you'd be."

"Thanks."

"So, now that we've had our fun, ready to get to work?" he asks, gesturing to the long-forgotten weapons lying about.

"Absolutely." And we get right to it, continuing until it's nightfall.


	4. Chapter 4

"Oops, I hadn't meant for us to stay out so late," Sasuke says, finally noticing the setting sun. My attention is also drawn to the fact that the end of the day has come, and a feeling of panic overcomes me. Oh no…if he's noticing this, then he'll head home… "Would you like me to walk you home, Tami-chan?" he asks, picking up his equipment and putting it away.

"Um…n-no, that's not necessary, Sasuke-kun," I assure him, my voice meek and barely above a whisper. He looks at me.

"Tami-chan, are you alright? You're acting weird all of a sudden."

"I'm…just a little tired," I fib. "Here, let me help you clean up." I pick up a few kunai lying around and we put them back in their proper places. I try to slow the process down by asking questions, which he's more than happy to answer, and the entire time he has a smile on his face. Oh, what I would give to keep him from going home tonight… We start for town, travelling down frequently used paths instead of Sasuke's secret routes, for there's no one out this late. His pace is a little quicker than earlier, and this makes my stomach lurch with grief. Once we're out on the street, he turns to me.

"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?" I nod shakily.

"Y-yes, I'll be fine. Thank you though."

"No problem. I mean…" He scratches the back of his head nervously and gives me a sheepish smile. "I know we only just met, but I already like you a lot more than anyone in my class at the academy. You're a really sweet person, Tami-chan." Oh Gods, that does it. A large, painful lump rises to my throat and I struggle to keep my eyes from tearing up. "Well, I'd better get home. My parents won't be happy I stayed out so late. I'll see you later, Tami-chan!"

"S-Sasuke, wait," I stutter, my voice weak. He freezes in place, staring at me curiously. I hesitate, then throw my arms around his shoulders. It's the first time I've ever hugged anyone. He remains very still, allowing my sudden affection to sink in before gently hugging me in return. After a few moments I let go of him and we stand there, staring at one another. His lips curve into a shy smile and he asks,

"W-what was that for?" I open my mouth, but nothing comes out, so I just shake my head.

"N-no reason," I whisper. Sasuke shifts his bag on his shoulder and says,

"Well, good night, Tami-chan. And, uh…thanks for the hug." With that, he waves to me and starts jogging for home. I stand there, frozen in place with my emotions barraging me ruthlessly. Once he's out of sight, my tears start falling. Oh Sasuke… I can't stop myself; I take off after him. I don't want to see what Itachi's done – in real life this time – but I have to see what happens to Sasuke. I know I couldn't stop Itachi from doing what he's done, but I won't allow harm to come to his brother.

I trail him home, jumping from rooftop to rooftop undetected. My eyes are still wet, but the rushing air on my face has dried most of my tears. The Uchiha compound comes within view and I feel another sickening lurch. Oh no, here it comes… Sasuke spots the bodies the same time I do. He drops his bag and starts shouting the names of his dead relatives, running about to check for survivors. There are none. I burst into soft but deep sobs, feeling so sorry for him. He's in absolute hysterics. He runs for the house, where I feel the presence of three lives. Oh Gods… Sure enough, only a few minutes after Sasuke runs in, I feel two of the lives fade away and hear Sasuke's bloodcurdling scream of pain and terror.

Sasuke's P.O.V.

I stare down in horror at my parents' bodies. No… The shadowed figure standing behind them moves into the light and I see his face.

"Nii-san?" His eyes are locked on me, his Sharingan activated. "N-Nii-san! Father and Mother are-! How? Why? Who would do such a-?" A shuriken flies past me and hits the door behind me, shutting it. I wince as I feel the new cut on my shoulder.

"Foolish little brother." I look back up at Itachi, whose eyes are shut. A moment passes, then he reopens them. "Mangekyo sharingan!" A whirlwind of images fill my head and I watch as each of my family members die, their lives taken by Itachi's hand.

"Aaargh! Stop it! Don't show me such things!" I plead, holding my head. "Why? …NO! Itachi! Aaargh! STOP! NII-SAN! DON'T-!" At long last, I collapse. No…our entire family…I lie there motionless for what feels like an eternity, though it can't have been longer than a minute or two. Finally, I manage, "Why…did you…?"

"To measure my capacity."

"…Measure your capacity…? That's it…? That's…the only reason…for killing everybody…?"

"I had to," he replies, shutting his eyes again. With a great effort, I start to push myself upright.

"What kind…of excuse is that…?" Once on my feet, I start running toward him. "What's wrong with you?" I want to hit him. Hurt him. KILL him. But I don't get to. He drives his fist into my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. My breathlessness and the pain from the blow send me falling back to the floor. I manage to look up, only to stare into the face of my dead father. Father… It suddenly strikes me. My fear. I'm afraid. This fear sends a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins, restoring some of my strength. I get up and run for the door. "Don't kill me!" I hear his voice, and realize that he'd outrun me already and is standing in my path.

"You…are not even worth killing. Baby brother, you're pathetic. If you want to kill me…settle for…hating me…Hate me and live like the coward you are! Clinging to life without honor!" And with that, he's gone. I'm…alone.

Tami's P.O.V.

I watch Itachi leave the Uchiha compound, his clothes covered in blood. He must sense my presence somehow, because he looks up at me. His eyes are cold, pitiless… But I can feel his true emotions. Seeing me here brings a wave of sadness over him, mixing with his feelings of guilt and pain. But he doesn't say anything to me; he simply disappears into the night. Once I'm sure he's gone, I jump off the roof, landing hard on my feet. I sprint for the house and go in without a second's hesitation.

"Sasuke?" I call frantically. I don't get a response, so I call again, louder, "SASUKE?" Where is he? Itachi said he wasn't going to hurt him! "SASUKE?"

"…Tami?" I skid to a stop and look around.

"Sasuke, where are you?" He limps around the corner ahead of me and I run to his side. "Are you injured? Please, you need to sit down, you could –"

"Is this…what you saw?" he asks, cutting me off. I shut my mouth immediately. "When you caught a glimpse into Itachi's mind…is this…it? Did you see…what he was going to do…to my family?" I bite my lip, not meeting his eyes, and mumble,

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke."

"You're SORRY?" he asks incredulously. "That's it? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't, Sasuke!" I cry.

"What do you mean, you couldn't tell me? How could you have KEPT it from me?"

"I…I'm not allowed to tell you anything, Sasuke."

"WHY NOT?" he demands.

"Because I CAN'T!" I repeat, feeling my anger well up. How can he blame this all on me? He'd just seen the things his brother is capable of; doesn't he understand that it terrified me, too?

"I deserve to know!" he insists, getting closer to me, intent on intimidating the information out of me. I take a step back and give him a solid, dangerous glare.

"I CAN'T SAY ANYTHING," I say slowly, enunciating every word. With that, I spin on my heel and walk out. He doesn't even bother calling after me; he just lets me go. However, I start getting little snippets of his voice – his inner voice – in my head.

'_How could she? I thought I could trust her! She was probably in league with Itachi the whole time! He probably told her to keep me out of the house so he could take out my family without my interference!'_ I try to force his voice out, not wanting to hear more. I run from the Uchiha compound, though the things I'd heard continue to echo in my head. I don't stop running until I get home, but there's something much worse than Sasuke waiting for me.

When I reach the Sohma compound, I take a few minutes to slow my heart rate down. I know any attempt I make at sneaking in will be lousy if my heart is pounding. Though I'm sure the men of the household are already asleep, I'd prefer not risking it, or waking them. They pay so little attention to me that I imagine they won't link me to the Uchihas at all. Slightly calmer, I make my way to the back door. I pull and find it locked, so I pull out a kunai and effortlessly slip the bolt out of place. The door slides back quietly and I step inside.

Immediately I know something's out of place. The house is completely dark; the men never think to turn off the lights. For that matter, they never lock the doors, either. All of those tasks fall upon me at night, and my brothers lack the brain capacity to keep such things in mind. I take another step into the room.

"And just where the hell have _you_ been?" I jump at his voice and spin to face the living room. A figure moves and as he steps into the light I see that it's my father.

"O-otou-san," I stutter, feeling my pulse rate rise. "I-I was out with Sasuke." It's not a lie…

"Oh? And just what were you doing out with him? At this time of night?"

"T-training," I reply. That isn't a COMPLETE lie; we HAD been training…

"Bullshit," he snarls, taking a step forward. "I just got visited by a friend of mine. He's another Jonin. Do you know what he told me?"

"N-no, Sir," I reply innocently, though I fear that I _do_ know what he told my father.

"He told me that Fugaku is dead. And not just Fugaku, but Mikoto, too. As is the rest of the Uchiha family. In fact, the only person that was left alive was SASUKE. And do you know what else he told me?"

"…No."

"He told me that Itachi killed them. He slaughtered each and every one of his family members in cold blood." I hope my father can't see my trembling knees. His voice is getting louder with each sentence as his anger mounts, and I know that soon he'll wake my brothers, if he hasn't already. "And do you know WHAT ELSE he told me?"

"No, Sir, I don't," I answer, my voice soft but confident.

"THAT YOU WERE THERE!" I hear footsteps in the hall and my eyes flicker in its direction. Sure enough, all four of my brothers round the corner, rubbing sleep from their eyes. "Well, Tami?" he demands. I turn back to my father. Maybe it's because of my wild adrenaline rush; maybe it's because I'm tired; maybe it's because I'm fed up with my father's behavior toward me. Whatever the reason, I just snap. I stare at him coolly and simply say,

"And if I was?"

"Why the FUCK didn't you do anything?" he shouts. My brothers' eyes are going between us frantically, confused.

"Do you honestly think there was anything I COULD do? You've spent my entire life telling me how worthless and weak I am – what the FUCK _could_ I do?" I scream back. For a moment, he's stunned that I'd talked back to him, and that I'd _sworn_ at him, then his surprise turns to rage.

"You little BITCH!" He runs forward and swings his leg up, catching me in my stomach with his foot. I'm knocked off my feet and go flying, hitting a bookshelf before falling to the floor. Several books fall on top of me, dislodged by the force of my contact. I stagger back up, wiping blood from my lip. I can hardly breathe due to my compressed diaphragm and the side of my body that had hit the bookshelf aches horrendously. I hardly manage to get air back into my system, however, before he runs at me and strikes me across the face, hard. I fall back to the floor, now on my back, and he raises his foot over me before driving it into my stomach. I just barely manage to turn my head before vomiting the meager contents of my stomach onto the floor. At the rate he's going and the force at which he's hitting me, I'll be dead soon if I don't do something.

He reaches for me and I seize the opportunity to punch him in the stomach. After his abuse, however, I'm in no condition to deal him any damage, and my strike barely has any effect on him. He merely snarls and grabs me by the front of my dress, lifting my limp body off the floor entirely and tossing me across the room like a ragdoll. I smash into another shelf, this one covered in glass ornaments my mother once collected. They break upon contact, the pieces tearing into my arms, back, and legs. The pain is excruciating and I don't know how much more I can take before going unconscious. I fall to the floor again and lie there gasping. Blood is pouring from my open wounds and I feel a few of the shards of glass digging further into my skin. I have to do something quickly…But what? I try to get up, but my arms refuse to move; so do my legs.

'_Get up,'_ I think frantically as I hear his footsteps drawing nearer. _'Get up NOW.'_ I try to move again, praying the bastard hasn't paralyzed me, and my leg twitches. Thank goodness. My relief doesn't last long, though, for his hands seize me by the front of my dress again and lift me, holding me at his level.

"Hmph. You think you're so great, do you? Did you think that because you allied yourself with that traitor Itachi that you could come back here and tell us what to do?" I don't say anything; my vision is blurring and most of my attention is on the _pain_ all over my body. He shakes me, causing me further agony, and demands, "WELL?"

"…No," I manage. "I'm…just sick…of how you treat me. The Uchihas…treated me with respect…_all_ of them. Something…I never got…from you. All of you…can go straight to hell." One of his hands releases me just to smash into my face. Stars burst behind one of my eyes, where his fist had made the most contact, and I cry out in pain. He does it again, this time making a solid collision with my nose, and I hear the brittle cartilage crackle and break. Blood pours from it, covering my lips and dripping down onto the front of my clothes. I finally realize the tears coming from my eyes in torrents, and I know it's useless to try and stop them, as much as I hate crying. His fist then drives itself into my abdomen, shattering my lowest ribs. I only manage a weak whimper. My throat begins to fill with blood from my injuries, and I look up at him. He stares back at me unflinchingly, his eyes completely void of emotion.

"Goodbye Tami." He raises his arm and the glint of metal in the moonlight brings a final rush of fear. _He's going to kill me. I'm going to die. Stop him. Fight back. Do something. Do something!_ His hand starts to come down and everything seems to slow as I watch the knife in his grasp come closer to me, heading for my neck.

_DO SOMETHING!_

My hands shoot forward, out of my control, and grasp my father's face, clutching it tightly. My chakra flows rapidly between my hands and my mind. Something happens; he goes completely rigid and he suddenly becomes…_fearful_. He continues to stare at me, but now he's gawking in horror. There's a sudden flash of blinding light and we're blown apart from each other, flying to opposite sides of the room. I land hard on my already aching side, and I know some of the glass in my open wounds is now completely submerged in my body. I lose my vision for a few seconds, but remain conscious…barely. What the hell was that? I look across the room to my father; he's slumped over, not moving. I'd knocked him out? How had I done that? What WAS that? Just some…massive discharge of chakra?

My brothers race over to his side. They prod and shake him, calling for him over and over. I start to get tunnel vision and gratefully await the painless bliss of unconsciousness. It takes me quickly and easily.

I wake to the sound of a heartbeat sensor. Several medic nins are mulling about, checking tools and equipment, muttering to one another about things I don't understand. The one at my right hand side notices I'm awake and turns. He calls to one of the others; the one in charge, I assume. He walks over.

"Tami, right?" I nod. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible," I mumble feebly. It's true; I can feel the slight numbing of painkillers, but they're too weak to drown out the splitting pain of my glass wounds and broken bones.

"I'm sorry. We're going to heal you as soon as we can, but first…what did you do to your father?"

"I…I don't know. I just…touched his face, and…there was a light…I don't…know…" I start to fade out again and if he says anything else, I miss it.

I wake up again a little later. There's only one medic nin in my room now; the same man from earlier. Sitting at his side is my grandfather.

"Grandfather?" I mutter breathily. "Wh…what're you doing here?" He gives me a morose stare.

"Explaining to the medic nins what you did to Takai."

"Wh-what did I do?" I ask.

"You don't know what it was?" he asks. I try to shake my head, but it causes hot waves of pain to course down my back, so I merely answer,

"N-no." He nods solemnly, looking deep in thought.

"It's probably best that you not know. For now, at least. Go back to sleep, Tami. You need your rest. I shall see you in a week." I obey, relaxing into my pillow. I allow the drugs to take me back under, but before they can, the medic nin says something. What he says will plague me for several years; it will make me question how truly good and useful my powers are. My grandfather and the medic nin stand and head for the door. The medic nin opens the door for my grandfather, and they both pause. Turning back to me, my grandfather sighs. "Poor child. For her to know what she's done…I suppose the prophecy was right. She is a prodigy."

"Indeed. To think someone so young could use Stage Five…"

~End of Age 10~


End file.
